(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a grinding wheel wear compensator and, more particularly, to a grinding wheel wear compensator for determining a correct position for a grinding wheel that wears in grinding operation performed on a workpiece.
(2) Prior Art
A grinding wheel used in grinding operation performed on a workpiece gradually wears at its periphery portion as the operation proceeds. If the wear of the grinding wheel is not compensated for, the accuracy of the grinding operation performed on a workpiece will deteriorate.
In order to assure high grinding accuracy, when the grinding operation is to be performed, it is necessary to compensate for the wear amount of a grinding wheel before starting operation or for every specified period of time or every specified operation amount in the course of continuous operation, by shifting the grinding wheel towards the processing face of a workpiece in accordance with the wear amount so that the grinding operation can be substantially constantly performed.
In one known apparatus, in order to obtain a wear amount, the outer diameter of a grinding wheel is measured by detecting a position in the periphery of the grinding wheel with a photoelectric sensor disposed at the periphery of the grinding wheel.